Amusement apparatus.



PATBNTED APR. 30, 1907. N. G. WARTH.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4, 1905.

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amentoz Nathaniel GWarth s ci'w/w/ I EZM'M All; ('1 lftozwuao NATHANIEL G. WARTH, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed August e, 1905. Serial No. 272,686.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL G. WARTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus; and I do hereby declare'the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use I ticular embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawingsFigure l is an elevation viewed from a point where both the supporting towers are seen; Fig. 2 is a similar view seen from a plane at right angles to that from which Fig. 1 is seen; Fig. 3 is a view partially i section on a larger scale of the carriage, bTlt with modifications in the form; Fig. 4' is a front view of a universally movable seat that can be used in the carriage ,Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same.

In the views 1 designates the carriage which is preferably of circular form andbuilt up out of metallic bars and wire netting so as to be not only light and strong, but also permit the passengers to look out and'spectators to look in. The carriage or carrier as shown is of flattened basket form with a cir-' cular main floor 1 radiating from the axis of its rotation and having at its periphery a cir cumambient rim floor. The edge of the rim floorhas opposite the main floor an inward extension toward the axis of rotation as seen at 1 that serves as a guard to prevent passengers from falling out should the motion of the carriage be stopped or slackened while the carriage is in its overturned position. The carriage as shown is secured on a spindle 2 that extends through the center of the carriage. This spindle 2 is journaled in the opposite sides of an outer frame or ring 3 and this outer ring 3 is journaled in the standards or towers 4 and 4*. The journaling of the outer ring 3 is preferably such that the of rotation of the outer frame is at right angles to the axis of rotation of the carriage. The journal designated 5 of the outer ring is hollow or tubular and through this extends a rotatable shaft 6 which has keyed to its inner end a miter gear 6*. Mounted in a suitable bracket 8 secured to the inner side of the outer ring is a shaft 7 having keyed to one end a miter gear 7 that meshes'with the ear 6*, and at its other end a sprocket wheel- 7 b from which runsan endless sprocket chain 9 to a sprocket wheel 2 on the shaft 2. By the application of proper power to the shaft 6, therefore, the carriage 1 can be rotated or rocked independently of the outer ring; and by the application of proper power to the tubular shaft 5 the outer ring can be rotated 01' rocked independently of the carriage. I have shown the tubular shaft 5 of the outer ring and the shaft 6 of the carriage as each provided with sprocket wheels to whichseparate sprocket chains run from sprocket wheels on independent power shafts. By this or any other appropriate means the carriage and the outer ring can be driven either independently of each other or simultaneously. In the practical use of the apparatus, however, I propose to drive the carriagewith such velocity that persons therein will be impelled by centrifugal action toward the rim with sufficient force to overcome gravity and enable them to stand on their feet on the inner side of the rim. The rim thus becomes a floor. The velocity necessary to do this is a matter of simple calculation. In operation the carriage will be started, of course, with a slow motion which will be accelerated until the required speed the passengers from the vertical to the horizontal position I incline or curve the corner of the carria e between the floor of the side and the rim t ioor as seen at 1 Fig. .For timid passengers a hand-hold strap 1 can be provided. In order that this strap 1 may be within reach of the passengers, whether standing on the side floor, the curved corner, or the rim, it can be suspended from the end of a fixed bracket 1 as seen in Fig. 3. I may also rovide the carriage with seats. In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a seat which is universally movable, main in an upright position position of the carriage. outer ringlO furnished at whatever be the It comprises an diametrically opis attained, and to facilitate the change of that is, a seat that will reiro posite edges with stud journals 10" to engage appropriate bearings in the opposite sides of the carriage, an inner track ring 11 havlng at diametrically opposite edges stud journals 11 to engage appropriate bearings in the outer ring 10, anda frame 12 having grooved wheels 12 .to run on the track-ring 11, the seat 13 being secured in the frame 12. The frame and seat are appropriately constructed .or weighted so that the seat itself shall normally stand in the ordinary upright position and if deemed desirable turn to a horizontal position when the carriage'is whirled. I

The carriage is provided with a door 1 through which passengers pass into and out of the carriage, and a stairway 14 with a plat-' form 14 at the top thereof can'be provided to enable passengers to ascend to and descend from the point of entrance to and exit from the doorway. I

In practice I propose that the outer frame '3 shall be rotated with a very-slow motion while, as before stated, the carriage itself shall be moved with great velocity. It will be observed, therefore, that when the carriage and its frame are thus rotated a given point in" the rim of the carriage (or a pas-- senger) may be carried through all the points of an imaginary sphere.

Theinventionmay also be embodied in the form of a' toy with weighted toy embodiments of ersons, animals, or other objects to assume a orizontal position on the rim when Whirled. i

By the term rotate and its inflections, I include and mean either a partial or whole rotation or rotations.

Matters herein shown and described but not claimed Will be claimed in a pending application filed March 28, 1907, Serial No. 365,105.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 11' In an amusement apparatus, the combi nation of arotary carriage, a rotary frame in which said rotary carriage is mounted, the axis of rotation of the carriage being fixed angularly with reference to the axis of rotation of the frame, and said carriage constructed't'o carry passengers and permit them to move-with unobstructed freedom substantially from its center to its circumferencel 2. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a rotary carriage adapted to receive passengers and having a seat adapted to sustain a passenger in upright position, and a rotatable frame in which the carriage is sup-. ported, the axis of rotation of the carriage eing substantially at right angles to the axis of movement of the frame, the line of the axis of rotation of the frame intersecting the rotary carriage. A

3. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a rotary carriage and a rotatable frame in which the carriage is mounted, the

axis of rotation of the rotatable frame being substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation of the rotary carriage, the line" of the axis of rotation of the frame intersecting the rotary carriage;

carriage adapted to carry persons as passengers on its interior and having the interior of aside and the rim substantially at right angles to each other and adapted as-floors to sustain said passengers in standing position and a curved foot-way connecting the side and rim floors said curved way blending with both said floors. v

6. In an amusement apparatus, a rotary carriage adapted to carry persons as passengers on its interior and having the interior of a side and the rim substantially at right angles to each other and adapted as floors to receive passengers instandmg position and a curved foot-way connecting the side and rim floors, said side floor being flat and said curved connecting floor blending with both said side and rim floors.

7. In an amusement apparatus, a rotary carriage adapted to carry persons as passengers on its interior and having the interior of a side and the rim adapted as -floors to receive passengers in standing'position and a hand-hold for the passenger while standing on the rim floor. v

8. In' an amusement apparatus, the combination with a rotary carriage and a rotatable frame 111 which the carriage is mounted,

the axis of rotation of the'frame being at an angle to the axis of rotation of the carriage, of a universally movable seat mounted in said carriage. I

9. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a rotary carriage and arotatable frame in which the carriage is mounted, the axis of rotation of the frame being at an; angle to the axis of rotation of the carriage, of a universally movable seat structure mount ed in said carriage, said seat structure being weighted to hold it normally in upright position.

10. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a rotary carriage adapted to-carry passengers, a mpvable frame supporting said carriage, the axis of rotation of the carriage being at an angle to the axis of rotation of the frame means for operating said carriage and means for operating the frame independently of the carriage.

11. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a rotary carriage adapted to carry floor between and blending with said side and rim floors and a guard or inclosure opposite the side floor to prevent accident to a passenger or his egress from the carriage in that direction.

12. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a rotary carriage having a substantially flat side floor extending outward from the axis of rotation of the carriage and adapted to sustain passengers, and a circumambient rim floor standing substantially at right angles to said first-named floor andalso adapted to sustain passengers and a curved or inclined foot-way intermediate the aforesaid fioors.

13. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a horizontally rotatable carriage or support for passengers, a track in said carriage, a seat adapted to be occupied by a passenger mounted on said 'trackcarria e or support and adapted tochange its inc ination with reference to the carriage under the influence of centrifugal action by the rotation of said carriage or support.

14. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a rotary carrier, a guide rail or track in said carrier, and a seat movably supported on said rail or track to normally rest in a horizontal position thereon,and adapted by rotation of the carrier to move outwardly, and upon reduction or cessation of the motion of the carrier to tend to return to horizontal position.

15. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a rotary carriage having its axis of rotation at right angles to the plane of the body of the carriage, and a rotatable frame in which the carria e is supported, the axis of movement of the rame being substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation of the carri age, the line of the axis oirotation of the frame intersectingthe carriage.

16. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a carriage adapted to receive a passenger and having a side floor extending outwardly from the axis of rotation of the carriage, and a rim floor, said side and rim floors being approximately at right angles to each other and connected by a blending intermediate floor, combined with means adapted to rotate said carriage with such velocity that the passenger therein'will be impelled by centrifugal action toward the rim floor with suflicient force to enable him to be held thereon.

17..An amusement device, comprising a rotatable carrier, means, operating in connection therewith whereby passengers are retained'in position thereon by centrifugal force and means for turning the axis of rotation thereof from vertical to horizontal.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

NATHANIEL G. WARTH Witnesses:

U. R. PETERS,- GEO M. FINGKEL. 

